Automatic switch.



No. 353,882. v vv.v R. JBNNBY.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

APPLIATION FILED PEB.,14. 1907.

v1 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

lllll I1 PATENTBD vMAY 14. 1907. l

W. R. JENNBY.

'AUTOMATIC SWITCH. ArrLloATloN rum) 33.14. 1907.

'4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

n n l 1HE NuRRls PETERS ca., wAsHmcroN. n. c.

No. 853,382. l PATENTBD MAY14, 1907.

. W. ILJBNNBY.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH. APPLIUATIoN FILED PEB... 14. 1907.

1HE Norems FsrERs co.,' wAsmNczcm. D. c.

narran sfrarrisgrrnnr orrron.

WALTER R. JENNEY, OF WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO CHARLES H. BEALS, OF WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters'Patent'.

Patented May 14, 1907.

Application filed February 14, 1907. Serial No. 357,239.

novel switch of this character adapted foreither steam or electric roads which may be automaticallyset for the main line from the movement of the car toward the switch.

I employ in connection with my switch suitable means for locking it, and the automatic means for operating the switch is so constructed that .the movement of the car will iirst unlock the. switch and then shift it.

I will first describe one embodiment of the invention and then point out the novel features thereof in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a p0rtion of a track showing my improved switch; Fig. 2 is a detail hereinafter described; Fig. 3 is a section on the line x-x, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is another detail of the connections for unlocking the switch; Fig. is a section on the line y-fg, Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a section on the line a-a, Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a detail of theconnections with the switch stand; Fig. 8 is a side view of a portion of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a section on substantially the line b--b, Fig. Fig. 10 is a front elevation and Fig. 11 a side view of aswitch-stand of an ordinary form adapted for use in connection with my invention.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, 3 and 4 designate the main rails of a railroad track, and 5 and 6 the pivoted switch rails which are shown as connected together by a bar 7 as usual. This bar is connected by a link 8 with the crank 9 of a switch-stand of the or dinary type known to the art as the Ramapo switch-stand. This type of switch-stand is well known to those skilled in the art and a detailed description thereof is not necessary, it being suflicient merely to state that the stand contains the vertical shaft l() to the lower end of which the crank-arm 9 is secured, and on the upper end of which is slidably carried the head 11 having the non-circular locking part 12 that is adapted to engage in a noncircular socket 13 formed in the member 14. The head 11 is arranged t0 have sliding motion only on the shaft 1() and is held from rotation thereon. In the operation of these switch-stands when it is desired to throw the switch, the head 11 is lifted by a suitable lever or other means to carry the non-circular portion 12 out of the socket 13, as shown in Fig. 10, when the shaft and head can be turned through a quarter revolution thereby through the crank 9 moving theswitch rails, and after the switch railsy have been set, they are locked by allowing the head 11 to descend to permit the portion l2 to again enter the socket 13.

In accordance with my invention I have provided an actuator adapted to be actuated by the train for first unlocking the switch and then shifting it. Situated along side of the main rail 4 is a bar or actuator 14 which is shown as carried by pivoted arms 15. This actuator 14 normally stands quite closely adjacent the rail 4, as shown in Fig. 3, and its ends are bent away from the rail slightly so as to permit the flange of a car wheel to enter therebetween. When a train or car passes over the track and the iianges of the wheels do thus enter between the rail and member 14, the latter is swung into dotted line position Fig. 1, and this movement first operates to unlock the switch and then to cause the switch rails to be moved. The arms 15 may be mounted in any suitable way and I have herein shown each of them as having at one end a pivotal-pin 16 which is journaled at both ends in a spider or frame 17 secured to the ties of the track or any other solid base, the other end of each arm 15 having pivotal connection with the member 14. Secured to the member 14 near one end is one arm of a centrally pivoted lever 18, the other arm of which is connected' to a tubular `member 20 by means of a suitable swivel connection. The lever 18 is shown as bifurs cated at one end and has swiveled thereto the block 21 which is secured to the tube 20, said block being held on the tube 20 between two collars 39 and 40. The other end of the lever 1S is shown as carried under the stock rail 4 and as pivoted to the actuator 14 by means of a pivotal connection 49, said pivotal connection being strengthened by means of a strengthening bridge 50. Said lever 18 is shown as pivoted to a spider or frame 51 which is secured to any suitable sup port.

IOO

The tubular member 2O connects to one arm of abell-crank 22, the other arm of which is connected to a link 23 that extends to the switch-stand, and has pivoted thereto two crank-arms 24 connected to two vertical shafts 25, one situated on each side of the switch-stand. Each shaft 25 has at its upper end a cam member 26 that is for the purpose of elevating the head 11 thereby to unlock the switch. Each cam member has the low portion 27 and the high portion 23 and is adapted to act on a projection 29 carried by the head 11, each projection 29 preferably having an anti-friction roller 30 thereon to reduce friction. IVhen the parts are in normal position the low portions 27 of the cams 26 are underneath the rolls 30, but when the shaft 25 is turned through a quarter revolution, the high portions of the cams come under these projections, therebT elevating the head 11, as will be obvious.

Situated within the tube 2() is a rod 33 which projects beyond said tube 20 and has at one end a head 34. Situated between the head and the end of the tube 20 is a switchthrowing member in the form of a spring 35 which surrounds the projecting end of the rod. 33. The other end of the rod 33 is connected to one arm of a bell-crank 36, the other arm of which is either connected. to the rod 8 or the bar 7.

The operation of the switch is as follows: Assuming that the switch is open, that is, the switch rails 5, 6 are set for the siding, the parts will be in the position shown in Fig. 1. As a car comes toward the switch from the right the flanges of the wheels enter between the actuator 14 and the rail 4 and throw said actuator into the dotted line position, the latter swinging about the arms 15 during this movement. This movement of the actuator is a combined movement longitudinal-ly of the track and away from the rails. The longitudinal component of the motion svi/'ings the lever 18 about its fulcrum 37, thereby moving the tube 20 to the right Fig. 1 and turning the bell-crank 22 in a direction to shift the link 23 in the direction of the arrow e. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, the low portion 27 of the cams 26 stands under the rolls 30, but when the bellcrank 22 is shifted into the dotted line position Fig. 1, the shafts 25 are turned suficiently to bring the cams into the position shown in Fig. 10, and in turning into this position they operate to elevate the head 11 and thus unlock the switch. The movement of the actuator 14 into the dotted line position will obviously compress the spring 35 because the switch rails are locked, and no movement of the rod 33 can take place until the switch is unlocked. As soon, however, as the switch is unlocked, the resiliency of the spring 35 operates to throw the rod 33 to the right,y thereby shifting the switch rails and setting them to close the switch. 'lf his action of the spring 35 may be augmented, il` desired, by a supph-nnental spring 3) which acts directly on one of the switch rails. .l l' the switch rails 5, 6 are already set for the main line when the car comes along, then the rod 33 will be projected sufficiently to the right Fig. 1 so that the movement of the actuator 14 into the dotted line position will not compress the spring 35. It will thus be seen that with my apparatusa car moving toward the switch will first unlock the latter and then throw it, so that if the switch is open. or set for the siding, the train. may automatically close the switch or set it for the main line and thus prevent an accident. My improveimnt further does not interfere. in. any 'ay with the operation of the switch by hand. More.- over my improvement may be used inA connection with various switch-stands, and although I have shown it as used in connection with the ordinary Ramap'o switch-stainl, I do not wish to be limited thereto. .lt will be obvious, therefore, that various changes may be made in the construction of the device without departing from the im'ention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure b v .l letters Patent is 2- 1. In a switch, the Combination with a` main track and a switch, ol means for temporarilylocking the switch open l'or the purpose of directing train on to the siding, means to unlock said switch b v the move,- ment of a train over the main track in the direction of the switch, a switch-throwing member, and means to store up eneig)Y therein while the switch is being` unlocked wherebv when said switch is unlocked the switchthrowing member comes into pla)v to throw the switch.

2. In a switch, the combination with a main track and a movable switch rail, oll an actuator extending longitudinally of the main track and adapted to be moved bv the movement of a car over the track, a lock l'or the switch. rail, means to release the lock b v movement ofthe actuator, a switeh-throuing member, and means to store up energy therein by the movement of the actuator inv unlocking the switch whereby when said switch is unlocked the switch-throwing member operates to throw the switch.

In a switch, the combination with movable switch rails of an actuator extending longitudinally of the track and adapted to be operated by the movement oli the car thereover, a lock .for the switch, connections between said actuator and both the switch rails and lock, the connections between the actuator and switch rails being a yieldable one, whereby the movement ol' the zuftuator .lirst unlocks the switch rails and then shil'ts the latter.

4. In a switch, the combination with a IOC main track and movable switch rails. of a switch-stand having a shaft connected to the switch rails and provided with a locking head slidably mounted thereon, and means operated by the movement ofthe car on the main track in the direction of the switch rst to raise the head7 thereby to unlock the switch,

and then to turn the shaft and throw the erated by the movement of a car on the main track in the direction of the switch for rst operating the cams thereby tol unlock the switch, and then to .turn the shaft to throw the switch. y

6. In a switch, the combination with movable switch rails ot a lock therefor, an actuator extending longitudinally of the track and adapted to be moved longitudinally by the movement of a car over the track, a lever connected to the actuator, connections between said lever and lock, and separate yieldable connections between said lever and switch rails.

7. In a switch, the combination wi th movable switch rails of an actuator extending longitudinally ot the track and adapted to be operated by the movement of a car thereon, a lock for the switch, non-yieldable connections between said actuator and the lock, and yieldable connections between said actuator and the switch rails whereby the movement of the actuator irst unlocks the switch rails and then shifts the latter.

S. In a switch, the combination with movable switch rails of a switch stand connected thereto and including a lock therefor, an actuator extending longitudinally of the track and adapted to be operated by the movement oi' a car thereover, connections between said actuator and the'lock portion of the switch stand, and other connections between said actuator and switch stand for throwing the latter after it has been unlocked. 9. In a switch, the combination with movable switch rails of a switch stand connected thereto, a lock for the switch stand, an actuator extending longitudinally of the track and adapted to be operated by the movement of a car thereover, and unyielding connections between said actuator and the lock for the switch stand, and yielding connections between said actuator and the switch. stand whereby the switch stand is .first unlocked and then operated to throw the switch rails.

l0. In a switch, the combination with a movable switch rail of a switch stand having a shaft connected to said switch rail and provided with a locking head slidably mounted thereon7 a cam for raising said head thereby to unlock the switch, an actuator adapted to be operated by the movement of a car on the track, connections between said actuator and said cam, and yielding connections between said actuator and the shaft of said switch stand whereby the movement of the actuator operates first to unlock the switch stand and subsequently to throw the switch rail.

11. In a switch, the combination with a movable switch rail of' an actuator adapted to be operated by the movement of a car traveling on the track, a spring for throwing the switch, and means operated by the actuator both to unlock the switch rail and to store up energy in the spring whereby the latter may operate to throw the switch rail atte they are unlocked.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specication, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WALTER R. J ENNEY.

Witnesses:

I-IARonD P. MosELEY, L. P. LANE. 

